Best Internet Marketing Strategies- Part I
April 30, 2007
Best Internet Marketing Strategies- Part I
by: Christian Del Monte
Researching the best Internet marketing strategies is a bit of a task. Why? Because most Internet marketing companies don’t want to share their strategies with you! Instead they want to sell them. So scouring the Web usually leads to lose ends and service puffery. So what are the best Internet marketing strategies?
Well honestly, the question itself is flawed. Lets think about it. What works best for one, doesn’t necessarily mean it will work for another. So lets start with the basics, shall we?
What exactly is your business model? Are you selling a product? A Service? Or trying to promote an affiliate? If you’re trying to promote a product or service, generally speaking your strategy will be very similar. If you’re an affiliate, that is one that is promoting a product or service that you don’t own, the basic strategy is related in that you are still trying to promote “widgets”, however your web strategy will be fundamentally different. Lets discuss products and services (part I). We’ll discuss affiliate-marketing strategies more in detail in part II of this writing.
Products and Services
Customer Lifetime Value - The Key To Maximizing Your Profits!
April 30, 2007
The greatest asset to your business is your Customer, specifically, your Customer Lifetime Value.
In my many years in Sales and Marketing, I’ve met many CEOs and business owners who don’t have much clue as to what Customer Lifetime Value is, much less its importance and the impact it has on their bottomline. To most of them, what matters most is to increase revenue by continuously acquiring new one-shot customers.
This is one of the fatal mistakes that many business owners make; it’s a sad scenario, but it’s also the reality. Let me tell you something: it’ll cost you 5 times more to attract a new customer than it is to bring one of your past customers back to you.
I don’t know you personally, but if you’re a smart business owner, you’ll understand that every cent you invest in advertising is going towards acquiring new customers. You’ll also realise that once you’ve acquired the customers, you just can’t afford to let them go.
———————————- So what’s Customer Lifetime Value? ———————————-
Customer Lifetime Value is defined as the total value, in monetary terms, of your average customers spanning the entire period that these customers are likely to do business with you. It’s the potential contribution of your customers to your business over a period of time.
Small Business Success: Thriving During Change (And Landing On Your Feet!)
April 29, 2007
If I had $1.00 every time I heard someone say " I don’t like change or, change makes me uncomfortable" I’d be a millionaire. Some people thrive on change ? they love it and even create more of it. Others view change with anxiety and resistance. So often, we don’t associate potential, excitement and wonder with change. Instead, we react to it; we try to control it; we create situations and problems to avoid dealing with it. We experience change daily in many forms ? the clothes we wear, the food we eat, the conversations we have, traffic patterns, the WEATHER.
While change is a constant in life, some changes (mergers and acquisitions, downsizing, reorganizations, job relocations, promotions, divorces, marriages, war) affect our lives on a bigger scale with impact on multiple areas of our business and personal lives.
How to Make Your Own PDF Easily
April 28, 2007
How to Make Your Own PDF Easily
by: Krzysztof M Sroka
If you are an internet marketer sooner or later you will need to learn how to make your own PDF. I have just learned how to do this for free and easily.
First, you might ask why you need to make your own PDFs? There are different reasons. First, by writing and giving away your own e-book you can bring a lot of traffic to your website. Second, you can grow your list in this way. There are a lot of people who are looking for free information on the internet. E-books are more valued than web pages or other reports or articles. People will be happy to sign up to your list to get the free e-book. Third, by writing your own e-book and giving it away you can make people happy and more receptive to your future e-mails. Fourth, having your own e-book your website will look more authoritative and you can get better search engines ratings.
Now you might think that it’s not easy to create your own e-book in PDF format or that you need to buy the expensive Adobe Acrobat.
10 Powerful Marketing Tips
April 27, 2007
1. Print your best small ad on a postcard and mail it to prospects in your targeted market. People read postcards when the message is brief. A small ad on a postcard can drive a high volume of traffic to your web site and generate a flood of sales leads for a very small cost.2. No single marketing effort works all the time for every business, so rotate several marketing tactics and vary your approach. Your customers tune out after awhile if you toot only one note. Not only that, YOU get bored. Marketing can be fun, so take advantage of the thousands of opportunities available for communicating your value to customers. But don’t be arbitrary about your selection of a variety of marketing ploys. Plan carefully. Get feedback from customers and adapt your efforts accordingly.3. Use buddy marketing to promote your business. For example, if you send out brochures, you could include a leaflet and/or business card of another business, which had agreed to do the same for you. This gives you the chance to reach a whole new pool of potential customers.4. Answer Your Phone Differently. Try announcing a special offer when you answer the phone. For example you could say, “Good morning, this is Ann Marie with Check It Out; ask me about my special marketing offer.” The caller is compelled to ask about the offer. Sure, many companies have recorded messages that play when you’re tied up in a queue, but who do you know that has a live message? I certainly haven’t heard of anyone. Make sure your offer is aggressive and increase your caller’s urgency by including a not-so-distant expiration date.5. Stick It! Use stickers, stamps and handwritten notes on all of your direct mail efforts and day-to-day business mail. Remember, when you put a sticker or handwritten message on the outside of an envelope, it has the impact of a miniature billboard. People read it first; however, the message should be short and concise so it can be read in less than 10 seconds.6. Send A Second Offer To Your Customers Immediately After They’ve Purchased Your customer just purchased a sweater from your clothing shop. Send a handwritten note to your customer thanking them for their business and informing them that upon their return with “this note” they may take advantage of a private offer, such as 20% off their next purchase. To create urgency, remember to include an expiration date.7. Newsletters. Did you know it costs six times more to make a sale to a new customer than to an existing one? You can use newsletters to focus your marketing on past customers. Keep costs down by sacrificing frequency and high production values. If printed newsletters are too expensive, consider an e-mail newsletter sent to people who subscribe at your Web site. 8. Seminars/ open house. Hosting an event is a great way to gain face time with key customers and prospects as well as get your company name circulating. With the right programming, you’ll be rewarded with a nice turnout and media coverage. If it’s a seminar, limit the attendance and charge a fee. A fee gives the impression of value. Free often connotes, whether intended or not, that attendees will have to endure a sales pitch.9. Bartering. This is an excellent tool to promote your business and get others to use your product and services. You can trade your product for advertising space or for another company’s product or service. This is especially helpful when two companies on limited budgets can exchange their services.10. Mail Outs. Enclose your brochure, ad, flyer etc. in all your outgoing mail. It doesn’t cost any additional postage and you’ll be surprised at who could use what you’re offering.
Seven Tips to a Job-Winning Interview
April 26, 2007
These days, interviews don’t come easily. When you get The Call, make the most of your time — and go for it!
1. Investigate the company’s culture, markets, and finances. But resist the temptation to show off what you’ve researched: “I just read that you’re about to embark on a new product line”) unless you have a question directly related to your career.
2. Look like you belong. Learn the company’s dress code and err on the side of conservatism. When you’re seeking a senior position based on industry experience, you’ll be expected to know the rules without being told.
3. Take charge of the interview! The most successful interviews feel like friendly conversations. When your interviewer has an agenda (such as the infamous “stress interview”) stay relaxed. Think of playing a game.
4. Assume everyone you meet will provide feedback to the decision-maker. Some companies hand out comment forms to receptionists, security guards and potential peers who take you to lunch.
5. Communicate interest and enthusiasm, even if you’re not sure you’re ready to commit. You’ll rarely have all the facts until you’re looking at an offer.
14 Ways to De-Stress Employee Vacations
April 25, 2007
Employees truly deserve paid vacations. They
struggle through stressful jobs most of the year,
and productivity goes down if they don’t get a
break. From a corporate perspective, investment in
good vacation programs reduces workplace stress
absenteeism, health care costs, and accidents.
Many employees, however, come back from vacation
with the half-joking remark about having to return
to work to rest up. Far too many people find
vacations just as stressful as the jobs they do
every day.
Following are fourteen ways company managers can
de-stress vacations, increase productivity, improve
quality, boost profits, and get the most from the
corporate investment.
1. Develop vacation savings plans so employees
will be financially prepared for this big expense
2. Provide continuous counseling for personal
finances, budgeting, and credit issues
3. Double check for payroll errors to make sure
employees are not affected by discrepancies while
they are on vacation
4. Distribute job responsibilities to prevent
employees’ returning to overflowing in-boxes
5. Announce job changes after vacations, not
before
6. Provide in-house workshops on vacation
planning
Marketing on a Budget
April 25, 2007
A successful marketing plan doesn’t have to include an athletic superstar, prime-time placement, state-of-the-art computer graphics or a massive budget. Being resourceful and smart can be just as effective. Business promotion doesn’t have to cost a fortune. Often, it’s the personal touch that seals the deal. Here are ideas gathered from marketing experts to help you make the most of a slim marketing budget:
Use Press Release PowerYou might not realize it, but reporters sometimes need you as much as you need them. The key to getting their attention is coming up with a newsworthy item that is concisely written. * Peg your release to real events, such as fundraising drives or a new service your business offers. Don’t be witty to amuse yourself the idea must have a concrete purpose. * If you can’t figure out why your company might be newsworthy, ask your friends what they find interesting about your company. * You can also utilize your built-in research tool your customers. If you have an offbeat idea, bounce it off them or have them fill out a short questionnaire. Ask them why they use your business.
ViralPix Software Lets You Run Your Own Image Hosting Service
April 24, 2007
ViralPix Software Lets You Run Your Own Image Hosting Service
by: ViralPix.info
ViralPix, a new software that enables web site owners to operate their own online image hosting service, was recently released. ViralPix is a custom software package that was designed completely from the ground up. Web site owners can use ViralPix to offer their visitors image gallery hosting and image sharing functions.
In a nutshell, ViralPix allow web site visitors to:
1. Sign up for free accounts;
2. Create unlimited photo galleries where they can upload images;
3. Share those galleries with friends, family, blog readers, MySpace pals, and much more!
ViralPix functions include:
* Account creation
* Album creation
* Delete images
* Edit title
* Edit description
* Commenting
* AJAX
Script Features:
* Automatic image optimization
* Automatic thumbnail creation
* Automatic banning of malicious files
* Easy image file structure
* Quick database structure for member area
* Email friends module
* MySpace profile code creator
* MySpace, blog, and website mini-gallery creator
* Ability to comment on other albums
In Sickness And In Health
April 23, 2007
I recently drove by a business that had a sign out front that read “Closed due to illness”.
This meant that the cash flow would stop until the owner was able to return to work.Even worse, the business would not be able to generate revenue for the owner when it was most needed.
Take the following steps today to ensure that your business will still be working when you are not able to.
1. AUTOMATE YOUR BUSINESS:
Automate as much as you can in your business so that you can not only make money while you sleep, but also when you are sick and can’t operate the business.
You can automate follow-ups using autoresponders, and the sales process using a shopping cart.Think of other areas of your business that are vitalto its success, and automate the processes if you can.
2. CREATE SYSTEMS:
Think about your daily routines in your business.Which routines are vital to the success of your business?
Turn these routines into systems by documenting the stepsnecessary to complete them. Create binders for your systems so that your assistantor partner can complete certain projects in your absenceusing the steps in the binders.
